Nikola Jokić has proven himself the best player in Denver Nuggets history, yet they are failing him. He was the best player on their only championship team in the 2022-23 season. Over the past four seasons, Jokić has won three Most Valuable Player awards and a Finals MVP. Only nine players, including Jokić, have received at least three MVPs in their career. He’s still just 29 years old. He could add another MVP award to that collection this season, but the Nuggets must improve.
The Denver Nuggets are Failing Nikola Jokić
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
The Nuggets’ front office underwent a major change during the 2022 offseason when former general manager and vice president of basketball operations Tim Connelly left to join the Minnesota Timberwolves. Current GM Calvin Booth took over the reins and led the Nuggets to a championship.
Connelly had built the foundation of the Nuggets’ roster including drafting Jokić, Jamal Murray, and Michael Porter Jr. He also traded for Aaron Gordon. Booth was handed a roster ready to compete for a championship, he just needed to fill in the gaps. During his first offseason with full control, he took advantage by signing key free agent Bruce Brown and trading for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Both players played a massive role in the Nuggets’ title run in 2022-23.
Since then, Booth has made several poor choices that have left the Nuggets in a bind. Some of those mishaps include letting both key players he acquired in the 2022 offseason to walk in free agency. He has done a great job of re-signing the Nuggets’ core players but has failed to adjust to the new collective bargaining agreement.
His use of the rest of the limited cap space has set the Nuggets back. His investment in Zeke Nnaji, who he signed to a four-year deal has backfired. Nnaji has proven to be unplayable this season. Their recent offseason signing of Dario Šarić is proving to be a failure. He has played in less than half of the games this season, struggling heavily in his minutes.
Lack of Production Outside Starters
The Nuggets are off to an average 11-10 start and are in ninth place in a stacked Western Conference. The reason is the roster has not been good enough outside of Jokić, Porter Jr., and Christian Braun. Although they have dealt with injuries to Murray and Gordon, they have lost some games where they have no business losing. Their loss to the Washington Wizards on Saturday was the final straw, which caused Jokić to speak up about it.
Having solid depth on the bench is vital in the NBA. Many players miss time due to injury every season and key depth pieces fill in the gaps during their absence. The Nuggets lack depth. Several players have been unplayable on the season and are taking valuable roster spots. It is apparent during games where the Nuggets are without multiple key players.
Murray’s lack of production is also haunting the Nuggets. After having a career season last year, he has yet to provide valuable production while on the court. With the Nuggets already having a depth problem, having their max-contract point guard struggling is a recipe for disaster.
Nuggets Need a Shake-Up
There is one clear sign of this Nuggets team early in the season – it won’t be the same roster that finishes the season. The Nuggets desperately need to make a trade to prioritize winning now and maximizing Jokić’s prime. Jokić is one of the league’s most dominant offensive forces. Surrounding Jokić with talented, athletic defenders maximizes his skills. Brown and Caldwell-Pope fit that role and contributed toward the Nuggets’ championship victory.
The Nuggets’ front office must prioritize surrounding Jokić with talent that excels with his skillset. Nearly 60 games remain for the Nuggets to get in a groove, but their poor play surrounding Jokić is alarming. If the Nuggets don’t turn their struggles around, a trade must happen for the Nuggets to continue to contend for a championship.
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